Michigan, Michigan State would be boon for first-weekend games at Palace of Auburn Hills

Out-of-sight

Mar. 17, 2013

Iowa was one of the teams that played at the Palace of Auburn Hills in the first round of the 2006 NCAA tournament. Oakland University is the host school once again for the 2013 tournament. / KIRTHMON F. DOZIER/Detroit Free Press

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Detroit Free Press Sports Writer

More than three years ago, the Palace of Auburn Hills was awarded the 2013 NCAA tournament first-weekend games, with organizers unsure what was ahead.

As the host school, Oakland University wondered whether it would draw another field like it had in 2006, which produced extremely exciting games but a patchwork crowd given the lack of a local team.

When the NCAA selections are announced tonight, expect a different result.

As projected top 3 seeds, Michigan and Michigan State have a chance to land in Auburn Hills, with the presence of even one likely selling out the Thursday and Saturday games.

"You try to get a little bit of a gauge on who you might have," OU athletic director Tracy Huth said Saturday, noting that he'll learn the placements at the same time as everyone else, at 6 tonight. "There's been a lot of talk about Michigan and Michigan State, certainly watching that will make a big difference how it goes.

"Throw either one of those in there and it makes things more interesting."

Though the OU/Palace staff will approach the week the same way regardless the participants -- the NCAA outscources all travel, even bus rides -- the big difference will come with the ticket sales.

Though Oakland officials would not release early totals, there was a surge in recent weeks, which Huth figures was a reaction to the bracketologists placing both schools in Auburn Hills.

Most years, playing this close is an honor reserved for Charlotte with Duke or North Carolina or for Kansas City, Mo., with Kansas.

Because Michigan State projects as a possible No. 2 seed and Michigan possibly a No. 3 seed, both should have the inside track to play in Auburn Hills.

Geography is a primary focus of the NCAA basketball committee when setting up the bracket so that the Spartans and Wolverines would be in different regionals (the landing spot for the second weekend) but still play the first round an hour away from their campuses.

The first weekend sites for the fop four lines are placed in order. Beginning with the No. 1 overall seed and going down through No. 16, the committee tries to place that team with the closest distance, with just two of the elite teams at one site. That should be no problem for MSU as all of the teams who could be ahead of the Spartans (Indiana, Duke, Gonzaga, Louisville, Kansas, Georgetown, Miami and Florida) have other, closer landing spots.

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Assuming U-M is a 3, it is still looking good sitting just beyond that group. The biggest threat to the Wolverines getting bumped out? Syracuse, if ranked ahead of U-M on the committee's overall 1-68 seed list. The concern would be because Philadelphia, the Orange's closest site, will already be occupied by Duke and Georgetown, certain to be seeded higher.

The top three conference teams on the overall seed list are separated by region, which means both U-M and MSU likely won't be heading to Indianapolis because Indiana is a favorite for that spot.

Landing in Auburn Hills is important.

"It'd be great to be closer to home because we've got to a great fan base that can help us out," U-M senior Matt Vogrich said. "If we're in Auburn Hills, it will be great to see a lot of maize and blue people there. But we're comfortable playing on neutral sites, we've played pretty well in Madison Square Garden and we were up in Brooklyn. Whatever happens, happens."

Make your NCAA picks in our Bracket Challenge, for a chance to win $1 million and compete against top Detroit sports writers. And if you need a blank bracket for your office pool, print one out here. Plus, you can enter to win tickets to the tournament games at the Palace here!

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Who else is coming?

In addition to Michigan State likely coming as a No. 2 seed or No. 3, whoever the other high seed is — Michigan or Syracuse — will likely be a No. 3.

Which means there are many possibilities for the six teams.

With eight teams and a No. 2 and a No. 3 seed anchoring, that could mean a 15 seed facing the No. 2, then 7 and a 10 in the second round.

In the No. 3’s four-team, bracket, they would face a 14 seed in the first round, then a 6 vs. 11 winner in the second.

Historically, the No. 14 and 15 lines are occupied by low-major conference title winners who were not the best of that group but certainly not those from the lowest-rated leagues or those who pulled conference tournament upsets.

The primary rule the NCAA basketball committee will follow in that part of bracketing is trying to avoid rematches, either from last year’s NCAA tournament or this season.